Because of my lousy performance two days ago, I played it conservative today so I could get back my groove.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
314/3
354/3
394/3
Bench presses
244/3
244/3
244/3
Power cleans
174/3
174/3
174/3
Turkish get-ups
25/3
40/3
55/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
Still kinda rough with my form on the heaviest Squat sets, but I'm slowly chipping away at my errors.
Despite my scaling back by 5lbs., I was very happy with my Bench press, thanks in part to my spotter who knew to stay back unless it was absolutely necessary to step in. All those reps were "all me".
After I'm done with SLA, I'll be resetting my Power cleans to clean it up even more. Unfortunately, I only know of one other person in the gym who does the same exercise, and he's pretty much where I'm at now.
And before I go, here's a little something in the spirit of the season. Happy Halloween!
An unexpected bout with queasiness after my warm-up almost derailed today's workout. I hate it when my stomach goes crazy on me.
Exercise
A
B
C
Overhead presses
154/3
154/3
154/3
Deadlifts (straps)
354/3
354/3
354/3
Weighted pull-ups
10/3
10/3
12.5/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
Not only did I have to scale back a lot for the Overhead presses, I even used the power cage and a belt so I could start the exercise. My confidence just wasn't there after I couldn't clean the bar off the floor.
One Deadlift set without straps ain't bad, and I didn't want to risk going all out today.
Now that I've eliminated any unrealistic expectations from my Squats, I can concentrate more on my form rather than how much I'm "supposed" to carry. Also, I discovered why I was (and am) having problems with my Bench Presses. Since I never had the bar touch my chest before, my chest and arms were always engaged throughout the movement whereas now when the bar makes contact, my chest and arms "think" they have a small window of opportunity to relax and recover before the bar gets pushed back up.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
309/3
349/3
389/3
Bench presses
239/3
239/3
239/3
Power cleans
169/3
169/3
169/3
Turkish get-ups
20/3
35/3
50/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
And just as I thought, I lost weight again, 192lbs. as of this morning, down from a high of 198lbs. two weeks ago. Funny thing is I haven't done any cardio since then. (Oops. Busted.)
One of the fun things at the gym is seeing my gym mates improving their physiques whether through losing weight, toning up or, my favorite, getting bigger. As someone who's drawn and morphed idealized versions of MuscleGrowth forum members (AKA "Muscle Makeovers"), I much prefer watching this kind of transformation for real.
Exercise
A
B
C
Push presses
179/3
179/3
179/3
Deadlifts
344/3
344/3
344/3
Weighted pull-ups
7.5/3
7.5/3
10/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
Reason I went with Push presses instead of Overhead presses today was I needed that extra kick to stabilize my core for the concentric phases. And besides, if I can't Push press a certain weight, I certainly can't Overhead press it, without wearing the belt anyway.
The strength discrepancy between my left and right hands is really evident when I switch alternating grips for Deadlifts, but if I can get to 354lbs. next week without having to use straps, I'll be a happy boy.
Hmm, didn't expect to finish all the pull-ups even at fewer reps. I'm probably still losing weight which counteracted the heavier dumbbells. On a related note, if I remember to bring my own towel to the gym, I might try out this version of chin-ups.
After my workout, I asked the powerlifter-trainer for some tips on how to stop relying on the mirror when doing Squats and Deadlifts. No, I'm not thinking about competing, but I'd like to treat my workouts as if I were.
Missed a couple of reps today, but that's OK since I've entered into uncharted territory.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
364/3
364/3
364/3
Bench presses
209/3
234/3
259/2
Power cleans
139/3
159/3
179/2+1
Weighted dips (belt)
30/5
60/5
90/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
Except for one rep, my Squats went well today. Got a good depth and managed to work in the "bounce" at the bottom of each rep. Unfortunately, this tired me out.
Didn't count the last Bench Press rep since the spotter said my right arm was on the way down before he stepped in to help. He also told me to watch out for my foot leaving the floor and make sure it doesn't. At least I upped my official 1RM by 5lbs.
Even though I didn't finish the Power cleans, I'm confident I can do one rep at 184lbs. in a week or two, which is what I'm after.
Based on my performance today vis-a-vis the information I've been picking up in Starting Strength, I've decided to bring down my Squats and Power cleans to fix up my technique. To paraphrase the author: I am trying to get strong; I am not trying to see how much weight I can lift. The sooner I recognize and accept the differences between these two statements, the better and safer my gym experience will be.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
329/3
369/3
414/3
Bench presses
234/3
234/3
234/3
Power cleans
169/3
169/3
169/3
Turkish get-ups
20/3
30/3
50/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
I can cross out my grip, back and chest positions from my issues with Squats, but I need go lighter so I can work on my descent (maintaining the correct speed and knee position), kinesthetic sense (getting to or below parallel without looking up or relying on the mirror) and drive (hips going up and not forward).
Just for fun, I tried a 274lbs. Bench press and almost got one good rep out of it (got the bar to touch my chest but couldn't push past the sticking point on the way up). This tells me though that my previous attempts in Strength III at the beginning of year were all crap since I never followed as strict a form back then. I guess this puts my official 1RM down to 254lbs., of which I did 3 this previous Monday, and I have 3 weeks to redeem myself. Hehe...
As unrefined as my Power cleans are now, they're a lot better than what I was doing last year, but I've still got a long way to go. Last Wednesday I asked one of the trainers for some advice, but being more into powerlifting (he's my go-to guy for Squats, Bench and Deadlifts), he ultimately suggested I talk to someone into weightlifting.
I got more dehydrated than I thought this week; I weighed in at 194lbs. this morning. I haven't been this "light" (relatively speaking) since August of last year.
I don't know exactly what was in my dinner last night that triggered a gastro-intestinal episode that thankfully went away after a few hours, but it was enough for me to have pushed my morning workout to noon so I could stay in bed a couple of hours longer to rest. I'm glad I didn't have Squats today.
Exercise
A
B
C
Overhead presses
174/3
174/3
174/3
Deadlifts
334/3
334/3
334/3
Weighted pull-ups
5/5
5/5
5/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Now that my grip's been improving, I need to work on my wrist strength next so I can minimize the use of wrist wraps.
I started reading Starting Strength in earnest over the weekend , and aside from the technical terms that tripped me up (kines-whatasis?), so far it's been an enjoyable and very informative book. I finished the section on Squats where I saw some of my mistakes quite plainly and embarrassingly pointed out (e.g. crappy grip, looking up, not going as low as I ought to), but this will just help me improve in the long run. I definitely recommend buying this book to work alongside StrongLifts since the two have the same philosophy.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
384/3
384/3
384/3
Bench presses
204/3
224/3
254/3
Power cleans
139/3
159/3
174/3
Weighted dips (belt)
30/5
60/5
90/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
I'll be re-evaluating my Squats next week, and the degree by which I'll be bringing down the weight will depend on what happens this Friday. I did figure out that, after some adjusting, my upper limbs and shoulders were flexible enough for the low-bar position and, more surprisingly, that I didn't have to use the knee wraps I'd been wearing since SLI. Ever since my left knee felt funny two weekends ago, it not only stopped feeling funny that week but in fact got stronger. Not using the knee wraps, however, threw me off a bit since I was using them before as a crutch to help me up on the bottom of each rep, which I'll try to bring lower next next time.
I'm gonna be busy reading up on the Power clean, Deadlift and Press sections for this Wednesday. One of my biggest problems with the Power clean is not quickly getting my elbows into the rack position at heavier weights since I'm pulling with my arms when I shouldn't.
Being limited to using dumbbells before really held back my Weighted dips, and now thanks to the dip belt, I've got a whole new world to conquer. 90lbs. plus my latest bodyweight of 198lbs. gives me a 3-rep max at 288lbs. If I can get my arms steady enough to support that normally, I should be able to do the same with my Bench press one of these weeks.
I hope I'm not speaking too soon here, but I'd really love to keep on lifting heavy after StrongLifts. I feel that with the stuff I've been picking up from my new book, I can progress with minimized risk of injuries and burning out. Also, it's not as if my waistline has been growing.
After 3 months of waiting, I finally got my new stuff from Amazon two days ago. Since shipping from the US is annoyingly (though not prohibitively) expensive, I opted for a much cheaper albeit more circuitous route, but now I have my copy of Starting Strength by Mark Rippletoe (lotsa bedside reading in the days to come), a weight dip belt (which I took out for a spin this morning) and, just for fun, a head/neck harness (who comes up with these things?). I still haven't decided what I'll be doing after I take a break from StrongLifts, but now I have one more viable option with Starting Strength.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
324/3
364/3
404/3
Bench presses
229/3
229/3
229/3
Power cleans
159/3
159/3
159/3
Turkish get-ups
15/3
30/3
45/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
I'm gonna experiment beefing up my core some more for the Squats, but I'll always have my belt around for standby.
I probably mentioned it before, but I'll say it again: my Bench press progress owes a lot to how well StrongLifts described how to properly do the exercise. Even though I'm a long way off my personal goal of 6 plates, I wanna make sure I get there the right way (i.e. no half-assed reps).
My Power clean, on the other hand, needs a bit more work, but Starting Strength has a shitload of information on it.
Yesterday at the mall, I was eating lunch in an area outside one of the gyms, and I somehow caught the attention of an I-would-say oldish gym member who was in the same area and started off an unsolicited conversation by asking how my upper body got so big and, get this, if I ever appeared in a commercial (lame pick-up line). As a general rule, I always keep to myself, being the asocial person that I am, but I thought it best to answer his questions despite my discomfort over the situation. Ah well, it wasn't as bad as the last time something like this happened.
I don't think I've done so few exercises on a single workout since I started 3 years ago--and I'm lovin' it.
Exercise
A
B
C
Overhead presses
169/3
169/3
169/3
Deadlifts
324/3
324/3
324/3
Weighted pull-ups
5/5
5/4
5/3
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
With my core working 100%, I had no problems with cleaning and pressing the bar at 169 unlike last week, though the next four weeks are another matter. I've got a big mental hurdle of 184 to overcome.
I really gotta get come chalk to counteract my sweaty palms.
My arms, in particular my biceps, are the weak points with my pull-ups. They aren't giving me the follow through I need to get my chin to at least level with the bar (lower than that I don't count the rep), but at least I've come a long way from subtracting from my body weight, which is a StrongLifts no-no.
Thank goodness it's Deload Week. Since the Squats didn't tire me out as usual, my Presses and Cleans went great. And the best part is that all of my exercises will be 3x3 from here on out.
Exercise
A
B
C
Squats (low bar)
374/3
374/3
374/3
Bench presses
199/3
219/3
244/3
Power cleans
139/3
154/3
174/3
Weighted dips
20/5
40/5
60/5
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Before I started working out, one of the trainers asked me if I was planning on joining a weightlifting competition since he noticed me doing Power cleans last week. I told I was just following the program I'm on, but it did raise an interesting point: If I'm not training for competition, what the hell am I killing myself for? I suppose at this point I'm just looking to beat some personal records, and that's enough for me.
It's been a while since I've worked out on a Saturday, and it wasn't easy getting my ass out of the house. Luckily, one of the malls in the area had a sale, and that was pretty good incentive to have.
Exercise
A
B
C
D
E
Squats (low bar)
304/5
334/5
354/5
379/5
404/5
Bench presses
229/5
229/5
229/5
229/4
229/5
Power cleans
159/5
159/5
159/5
159/5
159/5
Turkish get-ups
15/5
30/5
45/3+2
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
Played it safe and wore a belt for the last two sets of Squats. I probably have to get used to wearing it again now that I'm in the 400+ zone.
Shoulda gotten that spotter on the fourth Bench press set. Oh well.
Oh Turkish get-ups, how I hate thee.
After my workout, I went to the mall and bought myself new pairs of
shorts and slacks to replace the ones I've torn. Guess my butt and
thighs are doing their part in supporting the economy by increasing
consumer spending.
Edit: I accidentally typed "Hulkdout" instead of "Hulkout" in the title. Don't think I'm all Hulked-out yet. Hehe...
Used up one of my mandatory vacation days today. I prefer taking it mid-week rather than lumping it with the weekends. Harkens back to when I had Wednesdays as my other day off for one of my former jobs.
Exercise
A
B
C
D
E
Squats (low bar)
319/5
319/5
319/5
319/5
319/5
Push presses
169/5
169/5
169/5
169/4
169/4
Deadlifts (straps)
324/5
324/5
324/5
324/5
324/5
Weighted pull-ups
5/5
5/4
5/4
Legend: (Weight/Reps)
Thoughts
Since I came into the gym mid-morning, I was lucky that I caught the tail-end of the workout of one of the local basketball teams, and I was able to commandeer the Power cage for my Squats, which I only have to do Mondays and Fridays starting next week. Horray!
With my right front shoulder on the mend, I switched to Push presses facilitated by the Power cage since I didn't want to attempt any Power cleans, which I'm still not sure of being able to do this Saturday.
Didn't feel like doing strapless Deadlifts today.
After my workout, I got into a conversation with one of my gym mates who tried out StrongLifts before. We swapped notes and experiences, and it was great to talk to someone who had suffered through the same shit I did.
Height
5'3"
Sep 08
Weight
195 lbs.
-2.5 lbs.
Chest
44"
no change
Neck
16"
no change
Upper Arms (unflexed)
15.5"/15.375"
no change/+0.125"
Upper Arms (flexed)
16.125"/15.875"
-0.125"/-0.125"
Forearms
12.125"/12"
+0.125"/+0.125"
Waist at navel
38.25"
-0.25"
Hips
43.5"
-0.25"
Thighs
27"/27"
+0.5"/+0.5"
Calves
16"/16"
no change/no change
Comments
Even though I've maintained my increased protein shake intake from last month, I still lost some weight. I'm probably not getting enough nutrients into my system.
My forearms seems to have stolen some growth from my upper arms.
My damn thighs are just too difficult to measure accurately month after month.
เครื่องมือ 
